2018 Workplace Challenge is Moving Inactive Employees at Halfway Stage

The 2018 Active Workplace Challenge has clocked up more record-breaking figures at the four-week mark, with more than 5,000 new sign-ups across over 500 organisations, amassing a huge 191,400 miles already since the campaign began on January 8th (that's almost the distance from Earth to the Moon!)

Workforces across England have embraced the challenge. The Midday Mile is now a firm fixture in the lunch hour for many people, colleagues are encouraging each other to get active and the Workplace Challenge is the talk of the office from Durham to Devon.

But as the campaign passes its half way point, there is one very important message; keep it up!

Maintaining focus

The Workplace Challenge is about making a positive change for life and as thousands of organisations continue to support their teams to get more active, research shows that consistency and routine is key to changing habits.

Lee Mason, Chief Executive of the County Sports Partnership Network, which runs Workplace Challenge, said:

At the half way stage of this year's challenge 20 per cent of new sign ups are classed as being inactive. This demonstrates that the approach of taking the campaign to the people and using technology to track and record progress really does work. It's important to recognise, however, that if people are to really make a positive change, these behaviours need to become second nature over a sustained period of time – to the point where it feels unnatural if they're not done. That's why the Workplace Challenge runs for a period of eight weeks, encouraging employees to walk, jog, run or cycle at least one mile every day for two months."

Workplace champions

Anybody taking part in Workplace Challenge will have also noticed the role of workplace champions – another important factor in driving positive change.

Their role now as the campaign enters its second half is to get people through to the eight week mark (and beyond), with support and encouragement to keep up the excellent progress that has already been logged online.

Lee Mason adds:

Workplace champions are best placed to help people regain the momentum if they miss a day. There is always going to be the odd time an individual can't get out at lunch, but the important thing is that people are given the support they need to get back into the routine the next day. Remember, this isn't about who runs the fastest, furthest or hardest – it is about getting people away from their desks and completing bitesize chunks of physical activity in the lightest and brightest parts of the day.

To read more about the 2018 Active Workplace Challenge, which runs until March 4th, check out this story.